Today's complex integrated circuits typically employ many instances of resistors on a single substrate. These resistors come in varying sizes. Hybrid circuitry generally uses thick film resistors with geometries greater than 30 mils. Other applications of hybrid circuitry and other circuitry may use smaller resistors which provide for a more cost-effective circuit since less area on the ceramic is used.
Techniques, such as the one described in "Power Considerations in Small Geometry Thick Film Resistors," Andy London et al., Heraeus Technical Paper, 1999, which is incorporated herein by reference for all that it teaches, have been developed to improve upon small thick film resistors. However, absent in the art is a technique to improve upon the printing of thick film resistors. One problem which is encountered while printing thick film resistors is commonly referred to as "screen sag" in which the center portion of the resistor is scooped out by the squeegee.